Ferige - it's going to the wire

27 March 2010 02:07

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The Premier League title race is heading for a nerve-jangling final day shoot-out. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has analysed the run-in for the champions, Chelsea and Arsenal and believes a 90-minute May 9 nail-biter is unavoidable. The Reds, gunning for a historic fourth league crown, went into today a point clear of Chelsea and two ahead of Arsenal. Fergie, Carlo Ancelotti and Arsene Wenger all have seven matches left in the final six weeks of the league campaign. "I am trying to work out the run ins and what the eventuality is going to be and I cannot see anything other than it possibly going to the last game unless somebody blows up," says the United boss. "At this time of the season of course you look at it and Chelsea's win the other night (5-0 at Portsmouth) brings their goal difference to the same as ours and the goal difference could be important at the end of the season. "I have said it a few times over the years and you get one of those feelings that maybe I'm going to be right this time. "On paper Arsenal have the easier run in, but only on paper. At this time of the season I'm not sure that works, whether it means anything at all. "At the end of the day you can drop a couple of points like Chelsea did at Blackburn. All of a sudden your advantage on paper doesn't look so good. "The name of the game is to win your games and hopefully we can do that."I don't think there is a bigger challenger. I think we are all in the pot together." The pot could come to the boil on that final Sunday and all three challengers are at home. United play Stoke City at Old Trafford. Chelsea host Wigan at Stamford Bridge and Arsenal entertain Fulham at the Emirates. "The three of us are at home on the last day and if we have to win our home game I would be quite happy about that," added Sir Alex. "But those two will be saying the same thing. The three of us can win our home games." But the simple equation for league leaders United who hold the advantage is that if they win their remaining seven games the Premier League trophy will remain at Old Trafford. "With seven games left its countdown time," says Fergie. Plan "The easiest way to solve the whole thing and the best way is to win seven matches and we will win the title. It is as straightforward as that." Bolton will have their own ideas about Fergie's plan. United have already suffered at the hands of Reebok boss Owen Coyle who engineered a Burnley 1-0 win at Turf Moor in August when he was boss of the Clarets. "We have to have to win today at Bolton, at this time of year losing points can be damaging. "I look upon the Bolton match as a Cup Final. It is a big game for us and every one will be that way. If we win this then it is on to the next one then the next one "It is not easy. Winning the league in our country is not easy. "You go to Bolton, for instance, and it's a battle, simple and straightforward, it has always been that way and we have a big test today."They had a great start Burnley in the early season, it was one of those nights in which they were retracing their steps back to the 60s and it was an emotional night for their players and fans and was a fantastic result for them."We had 19 chances in the match and only hit the target once so it was one of those nights for us also."Now Owen's gone to Bolton and from what I gather there is not much material difference in the way Bolton play in terms they have still got the two big lads up front, Elmander and Davies, they still have long throw-ins and free-kicks and corner kicks. We're used to that." United's bid for the league crown won't be derailed by any off-field disruption. The Red Knights consortium who are looking to put together a financial package in an effort to persuade Old Trafford's American owners the Glazers to sell the club won't be ready to put their bid on the table before the season ends. "In the next few weeks we will continue to work on our proposal. We do not expect this to be finalised before the end of the current football season," a Red Knights statement said. "This will have the advantage of minimising external distractions as the team enters the decisive period of the season."